This invention relates in general to a cremator and more particularly to a cremator provided with a pivotable hearth and a secondary displaceable hearth where continuous cremation can occur without having to reposition partially cremated remains within the cremator.
The art of cremation is, of course, quite old and numerous references have described improvements in cremators. Such patents includes U.S. Pat. No. 1,212,307 (Adams, 1917); U.S. Pat. No. 1,421,919 (Davidson, 1922); U.S. Pat. No. 3,136,273 (Blesch 1964); U.S. Pat. No. 3,176,634 (Martin, 1965); and applicant's own co-pending U.S. Pat. No. 4,321,878. One of the many disadvantages of the prior art system was that the heat generated by the consumption of the body being cremated was wasted. This disadvantage was overcome by applicant's Secondary Hearth Crematory which was the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 4,321,878. The cremator described in that application, however, had the disadvantage that it required manual manipulation of the partially cremated remains so that they could be repositioned to a secondary chamber whereby the heat of cremation of a second body would aid in the final cremation of a first body. This repositioning increases the time that the loading door remains open and thereby increases the escape of heat in the process.